Category: ADHD

I’m willing to bet most people are not satisfied with where they are at in life. Now, this could be for a number of reasons. I believe social media and the constant barrage of artificial dopamine hits are scrambling our ability to focus and concentrate. How have we allowed ourselves to descend this far into unconsciousness? Very slowly but surely my friend.

It’s funny to hear people who don’t drink or use drugs say they aren’t dependent on chemicals for their well being. They turn their nose up in the air at addicts all the while chasing the same thing the junkie on the street is – the Dopamine rush. Granted, this sober individual has found ways to get their fix in a more sustainable and healthy way.

Let’s take a look at how dopamine plays into your motivation and its crucial role in maintaining a positive sense of well being.

At the cornerstone of any nootropic stack worth its salt is a good source of Choline. When we talk about Choline we are of course also talking about Acetycholine – the neurotransmitter so intimately involved in boosting your cognitive prowess and delivering results going way beyond the realm of placebo. Acetycholine is crucial for memory and learning new information. Acetycholine is crucial for encoding information and then being able to recall that information later. For this reason I recommend Choline to students or anybody on a path of learning new things and then retaining the knowledge learned.

Ah yes, good ol’ ADHD. The inability to sit down and focus on a task without quickly becoming fidgety. So much of what we have to as adults requires sitting down to do a single task. For me personally, I’m a huge fidgeter and find it extremely difficult to sit down and complete even small tasks on my to-do list (writing these posts for example.)

What helps me sit down and power through you ask?

I have a number of nootropics up my sleeve that help with ADHD symptoms.

What are the best nootropics for ADHD?

When looking for the right nootropic to solve the ADHD issue, it’s important to focus on the calming varieties. ADHD is different than ADD because of the added H (hyper activity.) We want to calm the mind and relax the body. From a space of calmness you will find it much easier to focus on tasks for hours at a time with little distaction.

1.) L-Tyrosine

At the top of the list is one of my favorite nootropics for calming down and getting focused. L-Tyrosine is actually a crucial amino acid and a direct precursor to dopamine. Dopamine, of course, being the neurotransmitter responsible for feeling calm and satisfied. When you’re calm and satisfied it’s easy to sit down and not fidget. A lack of L-Tyrosine can result in little circulating dopamine which can wreak havoc on your productivity. Make sure to include this one in your ADHD regiment.

2.) L-Theanine

Another classic staple in my nootropics cabinet. L-Theanine is a compound found in green tea. It’s been heavily studied and shown to produce Alpha Waves within the brain. These hallmark waves are associated with calmness and peace, similar to what buddhist experience after a long mediation session. While you CAN get this from green tea itself, to truly receive a therapeutic dose it’s important to supplement with at least 100 – 200mg.

3.) Aniracetam

Aniracetam is another nootropic known to calm the mind and relax the nervous system. Aniracetam almost lends a spacey quality to how you experience the world. I find this particular nootropics slows things down considerable and calms a racy mind. If your thoughts get in the way of you getting things done, try out Aniracetam. It’s also great for anxiety and makes listening to music extremely pleasurable.

4.) Magnesium oil

The original and all natural chill pill. A magnesium deficiency can cause a host of problems within the mind including the inability to sit still and focus. This stuff is truly powerful as far as minerals go. The more deficient you are, the more powerful the effect. I like the magnesium oil because it’s easily absorbed through the skin, giving you the maximum therapeutic dose. You might notice other positive benefits from using magnesium like increased quality of your sleep. Very good stuff. If you choose to go the pill route, make sure to go with something like magnesium chelate. Magnesium Oxide (the most popular form of supplementary magnesium) is poorly absorbed.

5.) Piracetam

Piracetam isn’t so much a calming agent like the other nootropics on this list. Piracetam is a focus and memory powerhouse. It’s one of my favorite nootropics for absorbing and learning new information. You might experience ADHD symptoms because you find the material in front of you difficult to grasp or absorb. Piracetams revs up the logical an thinking mind, allowing you to learn and retain new information. And the thing is, you can stack this with other nootropics like L-Tyrosine or L-Theanine for a truly powerful experience.

6.) Alpha GPC

This is another nootropic that indirectly effects the core symptoms of ADHD. Alpha GPC is a precursor to Acetycholine – a neurotransmitter crucial for learning and memory. Without enough Choline your brain cannot make adequate amounts of Acetycholine and you might experience brain fog, poor memory etc. Alpha GPC is a highly bio-available version of Choline.

7.) Ashwaghandha

Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb heavily used in the ayurvedic medicinal system. It’s been heavily studied and proven to reduce anxiety and calm the nervous system. As I mentioned, when the nervous system is calm the body can easily relax and the mind can go to work on whatever task is in front of you. The most well studied form of Ashwagandha is KSM-66 and easily purchased on Amazon.

8.) 5-HTP

5-HTP is a direct precursor to Serotonin. Serotonin is another neurotransmitter responsible for feeling calm and relaxed. This one has a tendency to make people tired so tread carefully and start with a minimal dose to begin with.

9.) B Complex

B complex vitamins are crucial to many different processes involving cognition in the brain. If you’re lacking any of these nutrients you will no doubt experience ADHD symptoms. Often times supplementing with B vitamins and magnesium oil is enough to solve even the hardest hitting ADHD episodes. Rather than take a harmful pharmaceutical why not address the core issue? Including a solid B vitamin supplement in your regiment will do wonders for your brain and alleviate many of the ADHD symptoms you might experience.

Final thoughts

I would suggest that along with the nootropics, you add a few things to your diet and lifestyle. Healthy fats like the fats found in Avocados and coconut oil are super beneficial for brain health. Complex carbs like sweet potatoes are also a good source of energy for the brain. Exercise, particularly cardio has profound effects on the mind and can reduce cortisol among many other things.

Too much caffeine, poor sleep, and poor nutrition are other factors which contribute to the widespread diagnosis of ADHD. Get these factors under control at all costs. At the end of the day, only you can make yourself want to focus. With the help of these nootropics I know without a doubt you can reach your goals and conquer ADHD once and for all!